What the Spork?

My boys are very different. Spencer is very independent. He will happily play the day away without checking in with me or even acknowledging my existence. He never wants to snuggle and he rarely acts out for attention.

Josh, on the other hand, loves attention. If I leave the room for more than five minutes he invariably starts wandering the house calling "Mommy? Mommy! Where are you?" He loves to snuggle and his favorite phrase lately is "Mommy, watch me!"

Lately Josh has been acting out quite a bit seeking attention. I've been trying to give him some more time, but it just hasn't been enough. So I decided that today we would have some extra-special Mommy/Joshie time.

Every couple weeks Spencer's preschool offers "Lunch Bunch", where for $5 the kids an stay an extra 75 minutes and eat lunch and play. Spencer LUVS it. So today while Spencer was at Lunch Bunch, Joshie and I had our own special lunch. We had a picnic outside in the nice weather. We played on the swingset. We talked. I watched as Josh ran around like a child possessed, talking non-stop and swinging and going down the slide. It was fun, and he relished the absolute attention I gave.

Here are a few highlights I want to remember:

- Santa put a titanium spork in Lance's stocking, mistakenly thinking he might use it at work. Instead it sits in our utensil drawer. So I got it out for Josh to use today.
Josh: What is that?
Me: It's a fork and a spoon in one. A spork.
Josh: What?
Me: Spork.
Josh: Fork spoon.
Me: Spork.
Josh: A what?
Me: Spooooorrrrk.
Josh: Ooottaayyy. Oooh, I like it.
The spork is apparently a very confusing, yet fascinating, utensil for a toddler. It was brought up and explained again several times during lunch.

- We chatted about what it would be like when the baby came. I know it's all going to be a shock to Josh, but I figure if we talk about it a bunch he might not be so... surprised... traumatized... whatever. Then we talked about what we should name the baby.
Me: Joshie, what should we name the baby?
Joshie: Poop. (We're all about the potty humor lately.)
Me: Um. No. How 'bout Baby Hot Dog?
Joshie: Noooo!
Me: Baby Apple?
Joshie: No. Baby Daddy.
Me: Daddy? But then we would be confused!
Joshie: Baby Spencer!
Me: But we already have a Spencer! What about Baby Spiderman?
Joshie: Nooooo... Oh... otay! Spiderman yeah!

- Joshie is a daredevil on the slide. He loves going down any way other than just sitting down facing forward. Today he was at the top and called out, "Mommy! I'm Superman flying!" and proceeded to go down on his belly face first. He flew down and biffed his face pretty hard into the grass. I thought he'd start crying and and wailing, but instead he started laughing, spit out some grass, and said "I flied!"

- At the end of the lunch Joshie looked around and said, "Where's Specer?" (He doesn't pronounce the 'n'.) I answered "He's at preschool." To which Joshie replied "I miss him. I want to play." Now if that's not enough to melt a momma's heart, I don't know what is.